Obade-cbossing protecting system



Oct. 18, 1927.

1,645,5K2 P. A. BOWEN I GRADE CROSSING PROTECTING SYSTEM Filed July 14, 1925 a Sheets-Sheet 1 43 0v. M y ZJMZ ML TTURNEY5 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 P. A. BOWEN Filed July 14, 192.5

GRADE CROSSING PROTECTING SYSTEM Oct.- 18,1927.

t. 18 19 0c 27 P. A. BOWEN GRADE CROSSING PROTECTING SYSTEM Filed July 14, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 5 v u [T N E V N I Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

3 PHILIPA'. BOWEN, or 1.3mm,

LMSMZ PATENT,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG1\TOR T0 LILLIAN' A. LITTLE, OF' LYNN,-MASSACHUSETTS. 1 5 .1

eaAnE-cRossme PROTECTING, SYSTEM, 1 I

-p1iaea filed. July 14, 1925.. Serial. No. 43,537. V

l Theinvention relates to grade crossing protecting systems for railroads. The object of the invention is to provide a system of protective devices which shall be automatically operated by the moving train to warn street ft'raflic' of the approaching train and also to prjovide a barrier to prevent street vehiclesiand pedestrians from entering-the crossing-if they disregardthe warning sig nals.'. i i 'One feature of the invention relates to an audible signal; another-feature relates to a visible signal and anotherfeaturerelates to the provision of abarrier which is automatically moved intdbperative positionas the'tra in approaches the crossing and which is' automaticall'yreturned to its normal inoperative position when the train passes the crossingflhe audiblejsignal and the visible signal being also automatically controlled by the movementfo fthe train.

'Ihe foregoing and other objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same may be'carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of the several embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the particular constructions described and shown are'for illustrative purposes merely and that the invention as defined by the claims hereunto appended may be otherwise practised without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, w v 1 The drawings illustrate the invention as applied to atwo-track railroad in which the system embodies all three of the above mentioned forms of the invention and in which a double set of guards and signals are employed, one for each track and both sets are operated by, a train moving on either track. In. the drawings:. U Fig.1 is a plan view of a grade crossing system equipped with apparatus embodying the invention.

*ig. 2'is a section taken on the line 2-2, Fi 1-.'..

ig.,3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing the parts in the .position they occupy when a train is passing over the crossing and operatingthe system. 1

Fig. t is an end view of the parts shown i nFig.3. f m Figs. 5 and Gare detail sectional views of the three-way valve,'in Fig. 5 showing the behereinafter described.

valve thenormal position and iii Fig. 6

showing the valve in the position during the operation of the apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view showing a modified form of apparatnsembodying the invention. 1 Fig. 8 is a plan View showing another modified form in normal position.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on the line 9-9, Fig. '8. v Q

'Fg. 10 is a vi ewsimilar'. to Fig. 9 show} ing the parts in operative position. I '1 i Fig. 11 is afsectionj taken m me 11 -11 a ria-.10.; I

Referring to the drawings:

tracks and Cfthefroadway for automobiles and other street ftrafli'c as well as pedestrians. Preferably the roadway has converging guides D to direct thetraificto the crossway but this feature -formsno part of the present invention. v 1 i There is shown'at E a bell in which the circuit is normally open, at F anelectric lamp in which the circuit is normally open and at Gr a barrier which is normallydown out of operative position as shown in 2 but which as the.train'approachesthe crossing is moved up into operative position in the middle of the roadway adjacent the crossing as shown in Fig.8. i Compressed; air is preferably employed as the power for actuating the several guard and warning devices througlifs uitable intermediate mechanisms controlled by the moving train, although other forces or sources of power with suitable mechanism adapted to be actuated thereby may be employed in lieu of compressed air and yet come within the scope of my invention as set forth hereinafter in the claims. At 11 is shown acompressed air. tank which is. keptsupplied with compressed air by a pump 12 through connections as will The tank 11 and the pumplQ may be located at any convenient place. Preferably and as shown in the drawings the tank-1 1 islocatedin a pit under thetracks A,'B and the pump is located at one side of the tracks. The air is forced into the tank through an outlet pipe 13 leading-from the pump, a three-way valve 14 and an inlet pipe l5 leading from the three-Way valve ,to the tank.

Normally thevalve plug 21 is positioned 1 I '7 Aand B represent two parallel railroad so that there is open communication between the pump and the tank through the ports 17 and 18, in the valve casing and port in the valve plug, see Fig. 5. The valve casing has a port 19 which communicateswith a pipe 20 to conduct the compressed air to operate the signal and guard mechanism, but said port 19 is normally closed by the plug 21. An arm 2 projects from the plug 21 of the valve and is adapted to be engaged by a projecting member on one side of a car or locomotive of the train to put the system into operation. It is not deemed necessary to show the train with the projecting member as this may be well understood without illustration. A connecting rod or wire 23 is connected at one end with said arm 2 and at its other end with one arm of a lever 24 pivoted at 25 alongside of the track in position so that the other arm 24 of said lever 24 is adapted to be engaged by the said projecting member on the train as the train passes beyond the crossing to operate the system whereby the devices may be returned to their normal position.

The operating arm 2 of the valve 14 is located at a point some distance before the crossing in order that the protecting apparatus may be operated in ample time before the train reaches the crossing.

The connecting rod or wire 23 is long enough so that the lever 24 ma be located at a point some distance from t 1e crossing in order that the protecting apparatus mayreturn to its normal position after the train has passed beyond the crossing.

When the train in approaching the cross ing onthe right-hand track A in the direction of the arrow, the actuating member on the car or locomotive will engage the arm 2 of the valve 14, thereby turning the plug 21 into the position shown in Fig. 6 so as to close the communication between the pump 12 and the tank 11 and open the communication between the tank 11 and the pipe 20. At the same time the arm 2 will, by means of its connection with the lever 24, move the arm 24 into the path of movement of the actuating member. When the train has passed over the crossing the actuating member will engage the arm 24 of the lever 24, and through the connection between said lever and arm 2, will turn the valve back into the position shown in Fig. 5, thereby cutting oil the supply of compressed air to the protecting apparatus and permitting the parts to return to their normal position.

A pit 26 is provided in the roadway at one side of the track to contain the guard and signal mechanism. The barrier member G consists of a platform 27 which normally lies on a level flush with the surface of the roadway and forms a cover for, the pit. The platform is hinged at 28 on the side nearest the track. The opposite side edge of the Mounted on the top platform normally rests on a support 29 to maintain the platform in level position so that vehicles may safely drive over it. Preferably it is provided with a downwardly extending flange 30 so that when the platform is tipped up as shown in Fig. 3 the flange 30 will close the entrance to the pit and also will serve as a barrier to vehicles.

Mounted in the pit is a cylinder 31 in whichis mounted a vertically slidable piston 32. A pipe 33 opens at one end into the said cylinder 31 below the piston 32 and at its other end communicates with the compressed air pipe 20 so that when the plug 21 of the three-wayvalve 14 is turned to open com muni'cation-between the compressed air tank 11 and pipe 20, compressed air will be.ad'- mitted into the lower part of the cylinder 31 to raise the piston 32' as shown in Fig. 3. Mounted on the upper end of the piston 32 is an arm 34 which when the piston moves upward engages the under side of the platform 27 and turns said platform up on its hinge as shown in Fig. 3.

V of the piston is a lamp F which preferably as a stem 5 to hold the lamp F in a somewhat elevated positionwhen the piston rises. The platform 27 is formed with an opening 6 through which the lamp will be projected upward when the piston rises so that the lamp will then be sufliciently elevated to be visible to occupants of approaching vehicles or pedestrians.

Normally the circuit through the electric lamp will be open. Means are provided whereby the circuit through the lamp will be closed when the piston moves up to raise the platform. The mechanism shown is as follows: A contact member 7 is mounted at the side of the pit, said contact'member bemg stationary and forming a terminal for thewire 8 leading from the battery 9. Carried on the side of the piston 32 is a. contact member 10 which when the piston rises will make contact with the member 7 and thereby close the circuit through the lamp. The electric bell E is also mounted in'the pit or in some other suitable place wired up in connection with the battery 9 and with the wire 8 so that when the electric circuit is closed by the rising of the piston 32 to bring the contact member 10 in contact with the terminal member 7, the circuit will be closed and thereby the bell or gong will be sounded. It is not deemed necessary to de scribe in detail the mechanism or the electrical connections with the gong as this may be of any Well known form of construction. It will thus be obvious that when atrain isapproaching the crossing in the direction indicated by the arrow on the track A in Fig. 1, the arm 2 will be engaged by the projecting member on the train so as to turn the plug of the three-way valve 14 to open communication between the compressed air tankand the pipe 20 and therebyadmit compress'edair to .the :lowerpart ofthe cylinder I 31, raise the pistonl32 which will lift the platform 27 from-the position shown in Fig.-

'2 into the position shown in Fig. 3, close the circuit to turn onthe lightin'thelarnp F andoperate the gong J .l: At the same time the-lever .24 will be set 7 so thatthearm 24 of saidlever willbe'in the path of movement of the projecting member on the train and when moved by said projecting member will so position the parts as to permit'their return to normal positionafter the 'train has passed over the may be admitted, to the cylinder31' in the equipment on the side of the track Bby suitable conriections"with-the tank '11. A pipe 40-communicates at one end with the pipe 20 through a suitable union and at its other end communicates with-the lower part of the 'cylinder31' onthe sideof thetrack B so that compressed air will be adm tted to thesa'id {cylinder at the-same time it is admitted tothe cylinder 31 011 the side of ,thetraGk A and the platform, light and gong will be operated simultaneously. with the set of apparatus reviously described for thetrack A. j *Th trains-waning on "track B will move inthe opposite-direction from thoseon the track A as shown in the drawings. Means are providedi'wh'ereby wh-enthe train "is moving on track 13 the apparatus on both sides will also be] "simiiltaneously' operated.- An, outlet pipe "41" leads out of the com pressed air tank 11 and communicates ,wlth' a valve 42 similarto the valve 14 and having an arm .43 'with which one' end-of: a connecting 'rod 44' is'connected, the othei'" end of'saidconnecting rodor wire being connected with jone armof a" lever 45 pivoted at 46 and provided with an arm 45 similar to the arm 24 :of the'lever 24. Thearm 43 y will be-actuated'by the moving train" in the same manner as thearm 2 connectingwith the other set of apparatus as, already "described. This will admit compressed air from .thetank ll through thepipe 41, valve 42,. 'and pipe 47 to the pipe 40 previously referred to, and thence through the pipes 33 and 48 with which it connects to the cylinders 31 to operate the apparatus on each side of the crossing. I I

At the sametime thelever 45 will be set so that the arm 45 of said lever will lie in the pathof movement of the projecting member of the train. so that when the arm is moved by the said projecting member, theparts may be permitted to return to their normal position after the train has passed over the crossing. v I

In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the apparatus issoconstructed and arranged tha-tthe electric-lamp will be raised into viewand rendered operative before the barrier is raised. In this form the lamp will be mounted'on the piston 32 andoperatedas already described. The battery and'electric connections are omitted from the drawingsinFig. 7 as being unnecessary to illustrate the modification. i V

I Thehinged platform 27 instead of being operated by the piston -32=which carries the lamp is operated by a separate piston 50 slidabl-e-inthe cylinder-51 and having a stem 52 whose-upper end is pivotally connected with the platform 27. The compressed air for raising the piston 50 is introduced into the cylinder 51 through a pipe 53, one end of which communicates with an outlet'port 54 in cylinder 31 and the other end of which communicates with the interior of the cylinder 5h The port 54 is so located that it normally closed by the piston 32 and is not uncovered until the piston 32 rises far enough for its lower end to pass ab'ove'the port 54. The lamp F will in the meantime have'passed'up through'the opening 36 in the platform 27 and display the light. I The piston750 will then rise and tip theplatform 27 on its hinge 28, thereby raising the unhinged side of the platform intooperative position as already described andshown in in the modification shown in Figs. 8-11 inclusiveinst'ead ofemploying ahingedplatform as the'barrier there are employed a plurality of lamps arrangedin a row transversely-of" the roadway approach to the crossing and so mou'ntcdon standards that the lamps andtheir mounts will serve the double'purpose of barrier and signal light. Eaclrlam'p F is mounted on a long stem or standard 55. Connected with the lower end ofthe-stein is an arm 56 which projects at an angle to the stem and is formed with an elongated 5101;"57 which is engaged by one end ofa lever 58 pivoted at 59 intermediateits ends; The standard and the arm togetherthus s'oinewhatreseinble abell crank lever with one short arm and one long arm, said lever being fulcrumed at 90. The engaging end 6 0fofthe lever 58 is shown as an extension of reduced cylindrical form for smoothness'o'f' operation and to lessen, the friction in its engagement with the slot.

Normally t lie seriesj of standards 55- with the lamps' mounted thereon will lie prone in a slot S on'the roadway as shown'in'Fig. 9. Means are provided whereby they will all he turned up into vertical position, as shown in Fig. 10 when a train approaches the crossing so that they will then have the appearance of a row of pickets extending crosswise of the roadway.

The lamp standards will be operated by a projecting member carried by the train as previously described acting on the bell crank lever 61, and by intermediate mechanism, connecting said lever 61 with the levers 58. There are two levers 61 located on opposite sides of the crossing. The levers 61 are fulcrumed at 62. The free arm of one lever 61 normally projects into the path of the actuating member carried by the train. A connecting rod or wire 63 connects the arms 64 of the two lovers 61 so that the said two levers will be operated simultaneously.

Each of the levers 58 has a pin and slot or other flexible connection with a longitudinally slidable rod 65, and said rod 65 has operative connection with the rod 63. The connection shown comprises a bell crank lever 66 having one arm connected to the rod 63, a bell crank lever 67 having one arm connected with the rod 65 and a rod or wire 68 connecting the two levers 66 and 67. The slot S which contains the lamps and standards is preferably provided with hinged covers 70 as indicated in Figs. 9 and 11. These covers are adapted to be turned up on their hinges by a projection 72 when the lamps are tipped up into operative position. Each cover is provided with an arm 71 which, when said cover is in raised position as shown in Fig. 11, is adapted to be engaged by a projection 72 on the lamp standard and thereby close said cover when the lamps are being returned to their normal position.

It is obvious that when a train is travelling in the direction of the arrow on track A and the free arm of the bell crank lever 61 at the left of Fig. 8 is engaged by the projecting member on the train, the rod 63 will be moved longitudinally toward the left and the rod 65 will be moved toward the right, thereby turning the levers 58 on their pivots from the position shown in Fig. 8 toward the right and turning the lamp standards up from their prone position shown in Figs. 8 and 9 into vertical position, as shown in Fig. 10. When the lamp standards are turned up into operative position, the electric circuit will be closed through the lamps and through the gong to light the lamps and sound the gong.

At the same time the free arm of the lever 61 at the right of Fig. 8 will be set in the path of movement of the projecting member on the train, so that when it is engaged by said projectinrr member after the train has passed over t e crossin the parts will be returned to their norma? position.

A corresponding equipment of operating mechanism, lamps and gong are located on the opposite side of the tracks and will be operated by a train coming in the direction placed between the trac s A and B, in which case only one set of lamps would be necessary.

While I have described the different forms oi my apparatus as operating when a train is going in a forward direction, it will be obvious that the mechanism might be designed so as to operate the apparatus when a train is backed over the crossing.

What I claim is:

1. In a grade crossing protecting system, i

the combination of a barrier normally supported at or below the level of a roadway, a lamp support having a lamp and normally lo cated beneath the barrier, and mechanism for elevating said barrier and for elevating 3' the lamp to a visible portion above the barrier.

2. In a grade crossing'protecting system, the combination of a swinging barrier normally located at or below the level of the roadway, a lamp support having a lamp and normally located below said barrier, and mechanism for shift-ingsai'd lamp support relatively to the'barrier and for raising the barrier, whereby the lamp will be visible and the barrier in operative position.

3. In a grade crossing protecting system, the combination of a swinging barrier normally located at orv below the level of the roadway, a lamp support having a. lamp and normallfy located below said barrier, and means or shifting said lamp support relatively to the barrier to raise the latter into operative position and to bring the lamp into visible position.

4. In a grade crossing protecting system, the combination of a swinging barrier normally located at or below the level of the roadwa a lamp support having a lamp and normal y located below said barrier, and means for shifting said lamp su port into engagement with the barrier to raise the latter and to elevate the lamp above the barrier.

5. In a grade crossing protecting system, the combination of a barrier havin an aperture, a signal lam below said barrier, means for elevating sai barrier and for shifting the lamp through said aperture to a visible position above the barrier. i

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PHILIP A. BOWEN. 

